The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-06-30
THE REBEL FLAGS.
An Eloquent Protest Against Their surrend..

Give back the fhgsP Never! They were
purchased with the blood Of far too many men,
They were the inspiration that led the rebel
hosts. like the White Plume of Navarro, over
smoke-clouded and bloody fields to the very
jaws Of death ere they surrendered them tn our
gallant followers Of the Red. White and Blue.
They were the insignia Of their defiance. No
company or regiment ever marched from their
homes to the tune Of Dixie" who did not
carry a banner they had sworn To carry aloft
or die defending. Fair women wrought many
Of these flags aud presented them 10 their COM
panieS, whom they babe guard with their lives
and their sacred hnnOrs, and To surrender them
only when the fate of battle made il impossible
longer 10 defend them. When the fury of the
battle was hottest how many brave men rallied
round these colors, and as fast as one standard.
bearer fell another took them up aud waved
them on high 10 cheer the men, who watch in
battle their banners as their insignia of veal or
woe. How many sleep to-day on fields like
Vickshurg. Gettysburg. Atlanta. Chickamauga,
the Wilderness, and innumersble Others, who
dared too far 10 capture these rebel signals Of
war.
Have we forgotten that almost the first sac
rifce To the Union cause Was the brave young
Col. Ellsworth. who. on the morning of NAV
2i, ls6l, when he reached Alexandria, where
he was ordered with his regiment, saw q
secession flag flying from the Marshall House.
fastening TO the house. his patriotic soul on
fire with Indignation thar within sight o; the
Capital treason would haunt her colors, he de-
manded To know whose flag il was, but none
daring TO acknowledge its ownership, he and
two complniOns mounted the stairs leading 10
the roof. and soon came down with IT, wrapping
II around his body. But the cOwardly Jackson,
proprietor OF the hotel and owner of the iag
having concealed himself in IA dark passage,
killed Ellsworth INSTANTLY as he descended the
stairs. His hielcss body. with the flag still
clutebed In his hands, WAS borne by his CON-
panOus back TO Washington TO the White
House, where the funeral services were held.
with Mr.. Lincoln as chief mouTner. Shall this
flag, stained with Ellsworth's blood, be given
back To the heirs OF JGrksOn2 Has the Gov
| eminent looked after the heirs OF Ellsworth Z
IL long since gave employment TO a daug liter of
Jackson, mAgnauimOusly forgetting his treason
aud murder of one OF it, most gallant defend
ers. To loyal men and the sOldiery in those
days when every man WIS for against his
country, the sight OF these banners meant trea-
son aud Inspired deeds OF dauntless courage Ia
possess them. How oft orr gallant men scaled
the rebel TanipaTts. shatched these defiant en-
bens of treason, aud planting in their stead the
Stars and stripes, bore away the rebel flags as
| signals of the Nations victory over her enc
mics. What valued trophies they were when
they were first laid away after the war as evi-
dence that peace was everywhere, aud these
/ Hays were waved no more in detance and bat
tie. Like the cannon and the army that were
captured, they must remain forever in the
Nations hands as Il pledge that rebellion has
no farther need of them or desire 70 repeat the
treason they Representa- VETERAN WIDOW.